December CC&R Corner

Important Vote on Changes to the CC&Rs

With a very important general election behind us we are asking the members of the LSPOA to please vote on the proposed changes to the CC&Rs. After 8 years the Environmental Control Committee (ECC) and the LSPOA Board have identified three important, or controversial, well let’s say “hot topics.”

1. Overhangs or eaves. This section as currently written only says that all overhangs will be a minimum of 18 inches as measured from finished siding. To where? A horizontal measurement? What about the facia board or facia gutters? Should they be considered as far as the overall aesthetic look of the building? Constant variance requests by members have left the ECC in the position of recognizing the need for both clarification and re-consideration of this section.
2. Sheds and outbuildings. The minimum construction standards require that all buildings and structures have certain roof pitches, eaves, and roofing material. What about a shed? Should they have 18 inch eaves on a 10 by 10 shed? What size of an “outbuilding” should meet the minimum construction standards (MCS)? In the past rules were drafted to state that if the building was under 120 square feet that it only needed 12 inch eaves, and that the building should be painted as close as possible to match the primary residence. Certain buildings such as a wood shed lean to, and a car port maybe do not need minimum eave lengths to fit in. All of these considerations may not take place because any rule that conflicts with the CC&Rs is not legal and would be null and void.
3. Fences. The first thing almost every new home wants after a year is a fence to keep the dogs in or out, and protect the kids. Fences must be “open” and not any higher than 5 feet. What is open? 50% is the established rule, but what about a 12 inch wide board, does it need to have a 12 inch wide opening to meet 50%? Yep. 12 inch openings don’t keep in or out too many dogs or keep the little kids in. Go and try and buy a 5 feet high dog kennel. Not many out there, they come pretty standard 6 feet high. What if it is just a small 10 by 12 feet dog kennel in the back yard? Nope. Current CC&Rs state no higher than 5 feet tall. But I want a small garden enclosure in the back yard, and the deer keep jumping my 5 feet high fence. Sorry, 5 feet is 5 feet.

We need to amend the CC&Rs to be allowed to make architectural rules that will allow certain exceptions and provisos to the MCS. It takes 51% of the owners of lots to vote yes on these changes. That is over 1,500. We have about 500 ballots and the balloting period ends on January 5th.

The Board may not just go out and draft new rules and pass them. Any and all rules must be posted to you the member so that you may review them, respond to them at a designated meeting or in writing.

If you cannot find your ballot and need another one sent to you, please contact our office at 938-3281 extension #107. Please vote.